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Psi-Stalker P.C.C.:
Psi-Stalker P.C.C. The Psi-stalker is a mutant whose psychic sensitive powers enable him to sense other psychics, psychic energy, and magic. The character can be human, or a D-Bee, or a mutant. Unlike normal humans, the Psi-stalker is a natural predator and P.P.E. vampire! The predator senses the use of psychic energy (I.S.P. and P.P.E.) and can follow the distinctive energy trail like a bloodhound following a specific scent. Even though all creatures have a certain level of potential psychic energy (P.P.E.), the psi-stalker can tell the subtle differences between normal energies and psychic and magic energies. Some innate instinct draws the stalker to those creatures who are psionic or magic. This same instinct makes the mutant want to kill ''his prey and drink its P.P.E. (which, for a brief instant, doubles when the victim dies). Fortunately, psi-stalkers can train themselves not to kill, although they prefer to kill and feed, and love the thrill of the hunt! The Coalition States (CS) have trained people with the psi-stalker instincts and abilities to become an elite military police force, specializing in hunting down psychic and magic criminals, supernatural beings, and paranormal interlopers. In addition to the stalker's natural abilities, the warriors are trained in basic military procedure and combat skills. They are also trained to control their urge to kill. The Coalition Psi- Stalkers will not kill unless the soldier is given authorization to use deadly force, which is always approved when stalking a demon or other supernatural being and frequently when in pursuit of dangerous criminals. 'NOTE:' Because of the Coalition's stand against non-humans, most of their psi-stalkers are completely human in appearance. They can be distinguished from other Coalition soldiers by their spiked helmets and the letters "PSI" emblazoned on the chest of their armor and uniforms. ALL psi-hunters are registered psychics with the IC and bear the IC bar code and implant. Coalition Stalkers generally lead a Dog Pack, or are given easy access to a Dog Pack. The Coalition Dog Pack is a group of four to six specially trained, intelligent mutant dogs used specifically to hunt and eliminate psychics, practitioners of magic, and supernatural menaces. ''See the Dog Pack R.C.C. ''also described in this section. Wild Psi-Stalkers are humanoid predators usually encountered in the wilderness and among the ruins of ancient cities. Fifty percent of these are cannibals who eat part of their victims or tear them to shreds. The act of cannibalism, or unnecessary violence, is a manifestation of the predatory killing instinct, because the psi-stalkers only have minimal need for flesh and blood nourishment or water. Remember, they feed on psi-energy. Even those occasional stalkers, who live along a ley line, where P.P.E. is available without killing, are instinctively driven to hunt for living prey. The Coalition scientists hypothesize that the psi-stalker is an evolutionary answer to the proliferation of psychic and magic creatures. No one really knows. NOTE: With rare exception, the psi- stalkers never hunt or kill a fellow psi-stalker. These characters, whether socialized or wild, tend to be very primal and combat oriented. Even the most intelligent is rarely literate. Most are interested in skills that are generally physical in nature or deal with piloting, weapons and combat. Stalkers often speak in low, guttural tones, and have a habit of grunting and growling. Psi-Stalker Powers 'Note:' The following powers are different or more powerful than the some of the common psionic powers which these abilities may resemble and are limited to the Psi-Stalker R.C.C. '''Sense Psychic and Magic Energy:' Like a bloodhound smelling a familiar scent, the psi-stalker can detect the presence of psychic energy; specifically, fellow psionics (I.S.P.) and magic (P.P.E. specifically oriented toward magic, techno-wizardry, and wizardry devices). The ability is constant and automatic. The moment a psychic "scent" is within the character's range, he or she will recognize it. For example: If a psychic (minor, major, or master) enters the room, the psi-stalker will instantly sense it, as well as be able to trace it to the specific individual. Furthermore, the stalker has a chance of recognizing that specific person's psychic scent again. This ability also enables him to stalk/ track a specific psychic scent. Base Skill: 20% + 5% per additional level of experience. If the psi-stalker has a bit of hair, skin, blood, or an article of clothing recently worn (4 hours or less) by the subject being hunted, the ability to follow the psychic trail enjoys a bonus of +20%. If psionic power or magic is being used within the psi-stalker's range of sensitivity, he will sense that too. The psychic impression will indicate whether the energy source is far or near, up or down, and whether it is a small or great amount of energy. If the energy is being continually expended, like a series of magic or psionic attacks, or a long duration effect, the predator can track it to the source with ease. Base Skill: 60% +5% per level of experience (roll once every melee). It is also likely that the character will recognize the scent again if encountered at some other time; 20% + 5% per level of experience. The presence of other P.P.E. sources of energy may confuse the scent; - 10% skill penalty. Close proximity to a ley line (2 miles/3.2 km) will reduce the ability to track a specific psychic scent by half. Close proximity to a ley line nexus point (4 miles/6.4 km) will completely obliterate the scent, making it impossible to find or pick up later. This is one reason why psi-stalkers are rarely found near a ley line unless a large number of prey inhabit the area. Of course, this also means that a psi-stalker can sense ley lines or a nexus point from up to 10 miles away (16 km) plus one mile (1.6 km) per level of experience. Ranges: Sensitivity to a fellow psychic or magic practitioner not using his powers is 50 feet (15 m) +20 feet (6 m) per each additional level of experience. Sensitivity to psionic and magic powers being used is a 600 foot (182 m) area + 100 (30.5 m) per level of experience. When tracking a psychic scent, roll percentile dice every 1000 feet (305 m) to see if the hunter is still on the trail. Duration: Automatic and constant. I.S.P.: None, automatic ability. Sense supernatural beings: Identical in function to the previous ability, except one senses the super distinctive psychic scent of the supernatural. The ability to identify the specific type of paranormal creature is Base Skill: 40% +5% per level of experience, and includes demons, vampires, and entities. The tracking by psychic scent is Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience. 70% + 3% per level of experience if the supernatural being is expending psionic or magic energy. Ranges: Sensitivity to the presence of a supernatural being not using its powers is 50 feet (15m) per level of experience. Sensitivity to supernatural magic or psionics being expended through spell weaving or attack is 1000 feet (305 m) + 100 feet (30.5 m) per additional level of experience. Duration: Automatic and constant. I.S.P.: None, automatic. NOTE: Close proximity to ley lines and nexus points have the exact same adverse effects. Psi-Bonuses: As a master psionic, the psi-stalker needs to roll a 10 or higher to save versus psionic attack and enjoys a bonus of + 4 to save (additional bonuses from M.E. not applicable). This means the character must roll a 6 or higher to save! Magic Bonuses: Natural magic resistance provides a bonus of + 1D4 to save versus magic attacks of any kind. Horror Factor Bonus: + 6 to save vs horror factor! Physical Bonuses: + 10 on physical S.D.C., + 1 attack per melee, + 1D6 to M.E. attribute (psi saving bonuses not applicable), + 1D6 to P.E. attribute, +2D6 to speed attribute. Also +5 to save vs mind controlling/altering drugs. Remember, needs little food and water to live. Nourishment: The stalker must feed on a minimum of 50 P.P.E. a week, preferably 80 to 100. To feed without killing, the predator must hunt down a psychic, practitioner of magic, or supernatural creature, physically capture the prey, cut it, and psionically drain''all its available P.P.E. points. Other than the cut (1D6 S.D.C. damage) the victim suffers, he loses all P.P.E.; a potentially dangerous situation for a magic user, but hardly life threatening. Psychics lose half their I.S.P. from a psi-stalker energy drain, as well as all their P.P.E. for the moment. Once the stalker begins to feed, he can not stop until ''all ''the P.P.E. has been absorbed. The absorption process is instantaneous (about 5 seconds). The P.P.E. will recover naturally, but temporarily disrupts the victim's psychic essence, and mages are left with no personal P.P.E. to draw upon to cast magic. 'NOTE:' The psi-stalker can not feed on the P.P.E. of non-psychics. They can absorb mystic ley line energy, but the taste is bad, like sour milk, and the ley lines disrupt the stalkers' senses. The preferred form of nourishment, even among civilized psi-stalkers, is to hunt and kill one's victim. The victim can be a psychic, practitioner of magic, or supernatural being. At the moment of death, the victim's P.P.E. is doubled. The stalker can absorb the energy of his kill from as far as 300 yards/meters. No need for normal food or water. The P.P.E. energy vampires have little need to consume solid food or drink water. The mutant does not require more than one pound (0.45 kg) of meat and eight ounces of water a week to remain healthy. Furthermore, the psychic can go without food or water for up to three weeks, if necessary, without ill effect. However, being deprived of the proper P.P.E. energy will inflict physical damage and the character will die of starvation within three weeks. '''Other Psionic Powers': Choose six psi-powers from the Sensitive category of powers. Psionic empathy with animals. Psi-stalkers automatically have an affinity with animals of all kinds. Domesticated animals will always take an immediate liking to a stalker and will do their best to please him; +15% bonus to ride a horse and work with all domestic animals. Wild animals, with the exception of felines and mutant and alien predators, will react to the stalker as if he was a fellow woodland creature, allowing him to walk among them without fear. This ability enables psi-stalkers to operate in the wild without causing animals to react to their presence; birds do not fly away, animals do not run, and therefore do not indicate the approach of an intruder. Even watchdogs will not sound a bark of alarm at the presence of a stalker. Felines and mutant and alien predatory animals seem to see the psi-stalker as a fellow hunter and a danger. Wild cats and mutants will frequently select a psi-stalker as their first target in an attack and will not positively respond to the character at all. NOTE: This affinity with animals means that the character will hunt and eat meat only for food, never for pleasure, and feels sadness whenever he sees an animal in distress. Attribute Requirements: None. A high M.E. and P.P. are suggested but not required. Roll 3D6 for each of the eight attributes as normal. See Psi-stalker Powers number 5 ''for attribute bonus rolls and other bonuses. The influence of ley line energy As described earlier, ley lines and nexus points impair and even obliterate the stalker's psychic sensing and tracking abilities. However, the other six psychic sensitive abilities are enhanced. ''Range ''and ''duration ''are increased by 50% when near a ley line (about 2 miles/3.2km) and doubled when within a mile (1.6 km) of a nexus point. P.P.E.: Most of the individual's P.P.E. has been expended in the development of psychic abilities. The remaining Permanent P.P.E. Base is 2D6. ‘ '''I.S.P.: '''To determine the character's initial amount of Inner Strength Points, take the number of M.E.x10 as the base, roll 1D6 x 10 and add it to the M.E. number. The character gets another 10 I.S.P. for each additional level of experience. Considered a master psionic. I.S.P. is regained at the rate of 2 per hour of activity, or 12 per hour of meditation or sleep. Considered to be a master psionic, so needs to roll a 10 or higher to save versus psionic attack. Skills of the Wild Psi-Stalker: The wild psi-stalker has had less formal education than most psychics, having spent nearly all of the time learning to hunt humanoid and supernatural prey. The typical stalker is cunning, sneaky, selfish, and silent; often a solitary hunter (loner) who uses his or her powers and fighting abilities rather than skills and machines (other than weapons). '''All wild psi-stalkers have the following skills: ' Hand to Hand: Basic (can increase to expert at the cost of one other skill or assassin for two), Wilderness Survival ( + 30%), Tracking (humanoids, not animals, + 10%), Detect Ambush ( + 5%), Escape Artist ( + 5%), Prowl (+10%), Climbing ( + 5%), three ancient W.P.s of choice, two modern weapon W.P.s of choice, and can speak American and two other languages at 70% proficiency. At first level the psychic can select five "other" skills, each with a +5% bonus. The character can also select six (6) Secondary skills without benefit of bonuses. At third and eighth levels an additional three secondary skills can be selected. Available skill categories are limited to any: Communication: radio basic, Domestic, Medical: Holistic Medicine only, Physical: any, Pilot, : Pilot Related, Rogue (excluding computer hacking), Science: Basic Math only, Technical (excluding all computer), W.P.: any Wilderness. : any Standard Equipment: Wild Psi-Stalker: May or may not wear clothing, mega-damage body armor, backpack, a couple sacks, utility/ ammo-belt, sunglasses or tinted goggles, air filter or gas mask, and personal items. Weapons will include a couple knives, and four other weapons of choice. May use techno-wizardry weapons too, but not suggested as part of the initial equipment (GM's choice). Vehicle is limited to horse or other animal mount (has an affinity with all non-predatory animals, including D-Bees and aliens), or non-military vehicle, and may include hover vehicles or souped-up motorcycle or car. May use a techno-wizard vehicle, but not recommendedto start (GM's choice). Money: The character starts out with no credit and 4D6 x 1000 in saleable black market items. Cybernetics: Starts with none. Tend to avoid implants in favor of natural powers. If cybernetics are used, they are usually sensory or optical enhancements. Skills of a Coalition Psi-stalker Or a Civilized Mercenary Stalker The civilized stalker has undergone some formal education and basic military training. The following Coalition military skills are known. Radio: Basic (+10%) Pilot Hovercraft (+10%) Robot Combat: Basic Read Sensory Equipment (+ 10%) Weapon Systems (+ 10%) Body Building Climbing ( + 5%) Running Prowl (+10%) W.P. Energy Pistol W.P. Energy Rifle W.P. two of choice Hand to Hand: Expert At first level the psychic can select four "other" skills, each with a + 5% bonus, and speaks American and one other language at 96%. character can also select eight (8) Secondary skills without benefit of bonuses. At fourth and eighth levels an additional two secondary skills can be selected. Available skill categories are limited to any: Communication, Domestic, Electrical: Basic only, Mechanical: Automotive only, Military, Medical: First aid only, Physical: any Pilot, Pilot Related: Science: Math only, Technical: W.P.: Standard Equipment: Coalition Psi-stalker Coalition "Dead Boy" armor, weapons, equipment, money, and cybernetics are all the same as the Coalition Grunt. ''Plus a few of the ''Dog Pack ''special hand to hand weapons such as the neural-mace, Vibro-knife, and fist spikes. '''Standard Equipment:' Civilized Mercenary Coalition "Dead Boy" armor if an ex-soldier, otherwise light or heavy mega-damage armor (probably the latter), a couple sets of clothing, sleeping bag, back pack, extra sack or pack for stowing equipment, utility/ammo-belt, canteen, sunglasses or tinted goggles, air filter or gas mask, and personal items. Weapons will include a knife or two, two energy or heavy weapons and 1D6 ammo-clips for each, plus one non-energy weapon; player's choice. Vehicle is limited to non-military means of transportation, and may include hover vehicles or souped-up motorcycle or car. Money: The mercenary stalker starts out with 6D6 x 100 in credit and 4D4x 1000 in saleable black market items. Note that psi-stalkers can often make big dollars as exterminators in areas plagued by supernatural beings, magic, or psychics. Cybernetics: Starts with none. Tend to avoid implants in favor of natural powers. NOTE: The vast majority of Psi-stalkers (99+%) fall into the “classic” Psi-Stalker P.C.C.., However a small percentage of them develop other psionic powers. These are limited to the Nega Psychic and the Psi-Nullifier. Both are considered mutations within the Psi-Stalker race. Only about one in 200 will have these anti-psionic and magic abilities. In these cases, the character does not get the usual Psi-Stalker R.C.C. and psionic abilities, but the psionic powers and special abilities of the Nega- Psychic and or Psi- Nullifier. However, skill selection and basic equipment is the same as presented under the Psi-Stalker R.C.C... Category:P.C.C. Classes Category:Palladium Category:Rifts Category:Psionics